FSI Language Courses
Peace Corps 91 pages 4 of 10

Acholi Exercises Workbook

Unit 4: Shopping

Peace Corps Acholi Language Course

  1. 35 __________________________________________
  2. 25 __________________________________________
  3. 16 __________________________________________
  4. 79 __________________________________________
  5. 150 _________________________________________
  6. 225 _________________________________________
  7. 780 _________________________________________
  8. 5,500 _______________________________________
  9. 1,101 _______________________________________
  10. 8,050 _______________________________________
  11. 6,000 _______________________________________
  12. 10,200 ______________________________________
  13. 21,324 ______________________________________
  14. 80,000 ______________________________________

Exercise IV.A-2: Use the imperative and numbers you’ve just learned to translate the following.

  1. Bring three books ______________________________________
  2. Eat two mangoes _______________________________________
  3. Buy ten spoons __________________________________________
  4. Drink water ____________________________________________
  5. Eat good bread _________________________________________
  6. Bring five good children _________________________________
  7. Cam kwon unga ki muranga _______________________________
  8. Wil ela _____________________________________________
  9. Kel gin acama __________________________________________
  10. Nen __________________________________________________
  11. Leg I ot lega ________________________________________
  12. Bin kany ______________________________________________

Exercise IV.A-3: Write these words in numbers

  1. Miya acel ki pyere bic wiye abicel 11. Alip angwen ki acel
  2. Miya aryo ki pyere ryo 12. Alip acel ki miya acel ki acel
  3. Pyere dek wiye aryo 13. Alip abic ki pyere angwen
  4. Apar wiye abic 14. Alip abiro ki miya abiro
  5. Miya angwen 15. Alip apar ki miya acel
  6. Aparabicel 16. Alip pyere adek ki miya aryo.
  7. Miya adek ki apar wiye aryo
  8. Miya abicel ki pyere angwen
  9. Miya acel ki pyere aryo wiye adek
  10. Pyere abiro wiye acel

Exercise IV.A-4: Translate the following into Acholi.

  1. One bed

  2. Three medicines

  3. Thirty six men

  4. Three jugs

  5. Four hundred seventy hospitals

  6. Ten thousand names

  7. There are thirty one days in a month

  8. Four knives

Exercise IV.B-1: Answer the questions below.

  1. Onyango tye ki ciling adii?
  2. Onyango onongo mito willo ngo?
  3. I kum lok gi ni cuk tye adii ?
  4. Owino onongo mito willo ngo?
  5. Long icuk aryo ni wel gi onongo tye cente adii?
  6. Ikin gin aryo ni anga ma owilo longi?

Exercise IV.B-2: Form sentences using these words.

(a) Gedo (b) Willo (c) Kwanyo (d) Wot (f) Koko

Exercise IV.B-3: Find out prices in at least three markets.

Cuk A. Cuk B. Cuk C Etc

Exercise IV.B-4

The Immediate Past Tense Ex. He (just) went to the Market. Ocito i cuk.

  1. You (pl) (just) ate lunch. ____________________________________________
  2. We (just) finished breakfast. ________________________________________
  3. He (just) prayed. ___________________________________________________
  4. I (just) dug tomatoes. _______________________________________________
  5. They (just) went to Iganga. __________________________________________
  6. You (sg) (just) saw a pineapple. ______________________________________
  7. She (just) ate cassava. ______________________________________________
  8. I (just) bought a ripe banana. ________________________________________
  9. We (just) read a book. _______________________________________________
  10. They (just) saw a cow. _______________________________________________

Exercise IV.B-5

The Yesterday Past Tense Ex. He went to the Market yesterday. Ocito I cuk laworo.

  1. Laworo wakwano leb Acholi. ___________________________________________
  2. Laworo odiko wacito Kitgum. ______________________________________
  3. Laworo aneno Lisa. ________________________________________________
  4. Laworo otyeno Immaculate gin ki Gregory gucamo gweno.
  1. Laworo michael owaci ni in pe imara._______________________
  2. Laworo Eric obuto Guulu.____________________________________
  3. Yesterday, he ate rice and beans. ___________________________________
  4. Yesterday, we spent the day in Kaliro. ______________________________
  5. Yesterday, you )pl) walked to school. ________________________________
  6. Yesterday, they cooked meat and cassava. __________________________
  7. Yesterday, you (sg) ate posho and chicken.__________________________
  8. Yesterday, I read a book. ___________________________________________

Exercise IV.B-6

The Distant Past Tense Ex. He went to the Market. Ocito I cuk

  1. She bought alcohol. ________________________________________________
  2. You (sg) saw a passion fruit. _________________________________________
  3. We bought a mango. _______________________________________________
  4. They ate potatoes and beans. ________________________________________
  5. I sat in Pader ______________________________________________________
  6. You (pl) went to Amuru. ________________________________________
  7. Gi tiyo I gang kal me pwonye __________________________________________
  8. Abuto I ot pa meni. _____________________________________
  9. Wacamo mapenic. ________________________________________________________
  10. Wutiyo i Training Center. _______________________________________
  11. Otedo muranga. _________________________________________________
  12. Aneno wone. _____________________________________________

Exercise IV.B-7: Translate using the far past tense.

  1. We learned Acholi with our teacher.
  2. They said that I am good looking.
  3. You (pl) called me munu.
  4. I didn’t go to Kampala.
  5. We spent the night at Pelikan Hotel in Mbarara.
  6. She didn’t buy a dress.
  7. I didn’t like Jinja town.

Exercise IV.B-7: Make ten sentences about some things that have happened in the past and some

things which have not happened in the past.

1.______________________________________________________________________ 2.______________________________________________________________________ 3.______________________________________________________________________ 4.______________________________________________________________________ 5.______________________________________________________________________ 6.______________________________________________________________________ 7.______________________________________________________________________ 8.______________________________________________________________________ 9.______________________________________________________________________ 10._____________________________________________________________________

Exercise IV.C-1: Make a dialogue.

Wel

Blouses 35,000@

Shirts 45,000@

Shoes 30,000@

Briefcase 25,000@

Caps

10,000@

Jacket 30,000@

Trousers 40,000@

Dresses 50,000@

Exercise IV.C-2: Read and answer the questions.

Well kilaro (bargaining is acceptable) Okello ocito kawillo tandarua, cati ki koti, ento kingolle wel matek. En odok ma pe owilo ginmo kadi acel. Orwatte ki Opio ci odenno cente ki bote ka odok owillo cati keken. Ingeye lacen, owilo mogati ki tongweno ka odok gang. I otyeno aceli, Opio ocito i cuk owillo koti olaro wel maber, owilo en koti ma nongo Okello omyero owil ni. Ineno, Okello pe ngeyo laro wel maber. (1) Pingo Okello pe owilo cati ki koti? (2) Okello owilo ngo inino ennoni? (3) Opio owilo koti ki kwene? (4) Koti mene ma Opio owilo? (5) Opio ngeyo timmo ngo maber? (6) Nga ma owilo tongweno? (7) Okello onwongo cente ki kwene?

Exercise IV.C-3: Read the following dialogue and answer the

questions. Laura: Apwoyo bino! Lisa: Apwoyo nen. Laura: Imito ngo? Lisa: Amito wilo kiteitei, itye kwede? Laura: Tye wek adwogi. Lisa: Ber apwoyo. Laura: Ber nen eni ber. Lisa: Ber man ciling adii? Laura: Alip apar! Lisa: Aaa! Lamego dwoka kong wel. Laura: Aya in imito culu ciling adii/ itye ki ciling adii? Lisa: Alip abicel. Laura: Med kong alip aryo I wiye. Lisa: Aya alip aboro. Laura: Aya cul. Lisa: Aya , (hands money) Laura: Apwoyo matek idong maber! Lisa: Aya ber mot gi. Laura: Kakare. Cultural Note: Uganda is a bargaining culture, you are expected to barter for many things. Basic sundries water, biscuits, etc are generally a fixed price. But especially when you are buying non-food items, the first price you are quoted is rarely the price a vendor expects. This is not the “muzungu price” all of the time, native Ugandans will get quoted the same amount. Likewise, your language will help in this situation! Even if you only greet in local language and conduct the transaction in English, you have set yourself apart from tourists and travelers.

Exercise IV.D-1: Read and answer questions

An nyinga Aber. Amaroo ruku kikoyo. Awilo eni ki i duka pa Lamara ento en obura. Ma amine alip pyereabic en odwoka alip aryo keken. Kwany alip pyereangwen wiye aboro.

  1. Kicato kikoyo ni ciling adii?
  2. Anga ma maro ruku kikoyo?
  3. Kikoyo ki wilo ki i dukan pa anga?
  4. Ciling adii ma odong i wii kikoyo ni?

Exercise IV.D-2: Translate into Acholi.

  1. Daniel is an Acholi and we are Japadhola, and therefore we speak two different languages.
  2. I was cooking and Kim was washing clothes.
  3. They are in town, but they will be here in the afternoon.
  4. He was a teacher, but he is now a carpenter.
  5. They were good teachers, but we didn’t learn the language.

Exercise IV.D-3: Circle the correct word.

  1. I butu__________________ (nining wunu, ngo, anga, nga gi)
  2. Balany___________________ ki miyo bota. (na ,megwa,megi)
  3. Miya kilo 2_____________ cukari (me ki, ka, wa)
  4. Wabutu ___________________ . (niningi,maber, ki keru,marac)
  5. Amito pakti acel __________ taa (me, ki,nyo , ka)

Exercise IV.D-3: Make a list of things you would like to buy in a shop and market. Don’t forget that

bargaining is not only acceptable it’s expected! Make sure to ask for your change. Jami ma amito wilo: Jami ma awilo ki welgi: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

Exercise IV.E-1: What are they saying?

Exercise IV.E-2: Circle the correct word.

  1. Mina odur eggi ni. weng kulu mapol
  2. Amito labolo kwon tuge/cure acel. kulu weng keken
  3. Wek awil bab me kal acel. weng keken manok
  4. Amito ringo kilo acel. keken kulu ducu
  5. Julius owilo lupuku acel me makar. gin weng weng kuto

Exercise IV.E-3: Describe the situation in the picture. Who was saying what and what was the result

of the conversation?

Exercise IV.F-1: Answer these questions.

  1. Ot pa anga?______________________.
  2. Ngo ma tye I oti?___________________.
  3. Kong i lok ikom ot pa ladit Langogo ote nen nining ________. ________________. ________________.
  4. Ngo ma otime ikum ote ? ____________

Exercise IV.F-2: Describe in Acholi what you see in the picture.